Lighting fixture hanger



June 6, 1967 WOLAR 3,323,770

LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGER Filed Oct. 13, 1965 iNVENTOR Jum u United StatesPatent 3,323,770 LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGER Isidore Wolar, 290 CollinsAve., Mount Vernon, N.Y. 10552 Filed Oct. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 495,470 4Claims. (Cl. 248--345) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relatesto means for hanging a lighting fixture having double hook-like elementsand a collar disposed in a position adjoining one of the hook-iikeelements and a nut threadably engaging the collar to support a canopy,the fixture hanger being invertible to accommodate canopies of differentdepths.

This invention relates to lighting fixture hangers and more specificallyto a novel and improved hanger that will readily accommodate ceilingcanopies of different sizes and permit attachment of lighting fixturesto horizontal and sloped ceilings.

Numerous hangers for lighting fixtures have been proposed, but knownhangers were either adapted for use with a ceiling canopy of a specificdepth or in the alternative a relatively complicated and expensivehanger was provided which included appropriate screw adjustments toaccommodate canopies of different sizes.

This invention overcomes the foregoing difiiculties and provides a noveland improved hanger which is characterized by its simplicity,versatility and relatively low cost. The hanger in accordance with theinvention will accommodate different types of canopies of differentdepths and greatly simplifies the hanging of a lighting fixture. In manycases lighting fixtures are relatively heavy and awkward to handle andwith known ceiling support devices involving threaded elements and thelike and the possibility of damaging the fixture and even causing injuryto the installer is substantial. With the improved ceiling support, inaccordance with the invention, a simple hooking procedure is entailedwhich eliminates tedious procedures heretofore involved in hanginglighting fixtures.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel andimproved hanger for lighting fixtures which will accommodate differentsizes of canopies and afford safe dependable support for the fixture.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel andimproved hanger and cooperating ceiling support for lighting fixtures.

The above and other objects of the invention will become more apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawings forming part ofthis application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view of a hanger and ceiling strap inaccordance with the invention arranged to accommodate one type ofcanopy.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 wherein thehanger in accordance with the invention is positioned to accommodate ashallower canopy.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a hanger in accordance withthe invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of the assembled hanger shown inFIGURE 3 and taken along the line 44 thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view of a modified form of hanger inaccordance with the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a top view of the hanger shown in FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of still another form of hanger inaccordance with the invention.

3,323,770 Patented June 6, 1967 FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view ofFIGURE 7 taken along the line 8-8 thereof.

FIGURE 9 is a bottom view of the hanger shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring now to the figures and more specifically to FIGURES 1 through4, the hanger in accordance with the invention comprises a ceiling strapgenerally denoted by the numeral 10 and a hanger 11 for cooperation withthe strap. The strap 10 is an elongated strip 12 of metal or othermaterial having openings in the ends thereof for the accommodation ofscrews 13 which in the instant embodiment of the invention are used tofasten the strap 10 to an electric box 14 embedded in the ceiling 15.The central portion of the strap 10 is provided with a downwardlyextending loop 16 for engagement with the hanger 11 to support afixture.

The hanger 11 comprises an annular collar 17 having an elongated slot 18extending therethrough. The central portion of the slot 18 is enlargedas indicated at 19 to accommodate the wires 20.

An elongated member 21 having hook-like portions or other suitableattaching means 22 and 23 on opposing ends thereof is secured within theslot 18 of the collar 17. The member 21 is positioned relative to thecollar 17 so that the hook-like member 22 is closely spaced to thesurface 22 of the collar 17, while the hook 23 is at a substantialdistance from the surface 23' of the collar 17. By having the hook-likemember 23 spaced from the collar a greater distance than the hook-likemember 22, the hanger 11 can be readily adapted to accommodate both deepand shallow canopies, the deep canopy being denoted by the numeral 24 inFIGURE 1, while the shallow canopy is denoted by the numeral 25 in theFIG- URE 2.

In hanging a lighting fixture with the novel and improved hanger inaccordance with the invention, the improved strap 10 is first secured tothe ceiling or the outlet box 14, as the case may be. If the deep canopy24, as shown in FIGURE 1 is to be employed, the link 26 or othersupporting means carried by the fixture is first attached to thehook-like portion 22 of the hanger 11. The nut 27 is then disengagedfrom the collar 17 and is permitted to drop downwardly on the link 26forming part of the fixture supporting means. The canopy 24 is thenmoved downwardly over the hanger 11. When this has been accomplished,the lighting fixture with the hanger 11 attached is then engaged withthe loop 16 forming part of the strap 10. Since the hook 23 is formed byan inclined slot which terminates in an offset opening 29, once the loop16 engages the opening 29, the weight of the fixture will preventaccidental disengagement of the hanger from the loop 16. After theelectrical connections are made in the customary manner, the canopy 24 ithen raised until it contacts the ceiling 15 and the nut 27 is thenengaged with the collar 17 to hold the canopy against the ceiling and atthe same time slightly stress the hanger 11 to hold it permanently inengagement with the loop.

With the use of a shallow canopy such as the canopy 25, as shown inFIGURE 2, the same installation procedure is employed except that thehook 23 on the hanger 11 is engaged with the fixture chain 26 and thehook 22 is engaged with the loop 16.

In the embodiment of the invention previously described, the hanger 11was formed of two separate element, namely, the collar 17 and theelongated member 21 carrying hook-like portions on each end thereof. Ifdesired, these elements may be formed integrally as shown in FIGURES 5and 6 by casting or other suitable procedure. In this embodiment of theinvention the collar is denoted by the numeral 170, while the closelyspaced hook portion is denoted by the numeral 22a and the op- 3 posinghook portion by the numeral 23a. In addition th collar 17a is providedwith a pair of openings 30 through which the electric wiring may bethreaded. It will also be observed that by making the collar 17 or 17a,as the case may be, of appreciable depth, the novel hanger in accordancewith the invention will accommodate many sizes of canopies withoutnecessitating tedious adjustments required with prior known devices.

A still further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURES 7through 9. In this embodiment of the in, vention, the threaded collardenoted by the numeral 31 is provided with a hook-like portion 32extending from one surface 31' thereof. The other surface 31 has athreaded recess 33 to accommodate a threaded rod or stem 34 which isattached to a lighting fixture to be supported. A pair of inclinedopenings 35 are provided in the collar 31 to accommodate the wiring asshown more clearly in FIGURES 8 and 9.

While only certain embodiments of the invention have been illustratedand described, it is apparent that alterations, modifications andchanges may be made Without departing from the true scope and spiritthereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hanger for electric fixtures comprising an annular externallythreaded collar, a hook-like member having a hook portion carried by andextending from one surface of said collar, said hook member adapted toengage a ceiling support, means extending from the other surface of saidcollar for engagement of said fixture, a canopy positioned against saidceiling and having a central collar receiving opening, and a nutthreadably engaging said collar and bearing against the outer surface ofsaid canopy to hold the latter against the ceiling and said hook memberin engagement with said ceiling support, said means extending from theother surface of said collar comprising a second hook-like member havinga hook portion spaced from the collar a distance greater than the firstsaid hook portion.

2. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein each hooklike member includes aslot terminating in an opening offset from the center line of said slot.

3. A hanger for electric fixtures according to claim 2 including acooperating ceiling support, said support comprising an elongated striphaving means for attachment to the ceiling and a depending loop engagingone of said hook-like members, the other of said hook-like membersengaging and supporting said fixture.

4. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein hook-like member are formedintegrally one with the other to form a unitary structure, said collarincludes an elongated slot extending therethrough and said structure issecured within said slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,610,518 12/1926 Hensey 248-3411,908,588 5/1933 Olier 248343 2,062,902 12/1936 Hamby 248-34l 2,687,8678/1954 Wolar 248-339 X 2,767,952 10/1956 Wolar 248339 2,767,954 10/1956Wolar 248-345 2,906,488 9/1959 Wolar 24 8-339 2,916,309 12/1959 Wolar248342 X ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LEROY, Examiner.

R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner;

1. A HANGER FOR ELECTRIC FIXTURES COMPRISING AN ANNULAR EXTERNALLYTHREADED COLLAR, A HOOK-LIKE MEMBER HAVING A HOOK PORTION CARRIED BY ANDEXTENDING FROM ONE SURFACE OF SAID COLLAR, SAID HOOK MEMBER ADAPTED TOENGAGE A CEILING SUPPORT, MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE OTHER SURFACE OF SAIDCOLLAR FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FIXTURE, A CANOPY POSITIONED AGAINST SAIDCEILING AND HAVING A CENTRAL COLLAR RECEIVING OPENING, AND A NUTTHREADABLY ENGAGING SAID COLLAR AND BEARING AGAINST THE OUTER SURFACE OFSAID CANOPY TO HOLD THE LATTER AGAINST THE CEILING AND SAID HOOK MEMBERIN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CEILING SUPPORT, SAID MEANS EXTENDING FROM THEOTHER SURFACE OF SAID COLLAR COMPRISING A SECOND HOOK-LIKE MEMBER HAVINGA HOOK